Fort.



1.10. Vinum. FORT.

Patented Apr. 23,1918.

Heij

suunswmnm: en" nv APPLQCATIONv FILED OCT. 23, ISIS- fort of this character wherein the entire for' Y` N UNITE ffnaoaeea f sra'rns rArENr orrion., i

JOSEPH' D. vmirm OF BALTIMORE COUNTY, MARYLAND.

` ToaZZ whom t may concern:

Be itknown that I, JOSEPH D. Vriens,

a citizen ofthe United States, residing" in l `Baltimore county, Stateof Maryland, have a `l Forts, of

; w cation.

i invented a new and'useful Improvement in which the following is a ,speoiii-il i Myinvention relates to 'improvements in `forts or fortifications oruse in coast or `other defenses.

The primary object of this invention is fthe construction of a permanently located "submerged fortwhereinv the entire housing or fort, its occupants andarmament are con'- cealed from View andprotected, the entire fortification being surrounded and com` pletely covered by water.

A further object isjthe construction of a fort of character provided with means,

suchfa-s periscopes or` the like7 whereby the:

' location of the enemy or others may readily be ascertained Afrom within the fort and without exposing theoccupants or the fort itself "to danger.

i `In saiddrawings:` i i f Figure l illustrates in vertical section a "A further object is the provision ein" a isisubmergedywith means of access leading kind -may be conducted back and `forth vto In the accompanying. drawings I have shown one form of structure embodying my invention, although it is to be understood that Ido not desire to be limited to the exact details or structure therein shown.

fort built in accordance with my invention, and" i j Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.`

- l Referring to the drawings wherein similar letters of reference are used to indlcate cori responding parts in "each of theseveral .i

` views, lindicates the` topjor roof ot the fort, which as herein shown is-circular in form, provided with wall 2. The wall and ,roof may be constructed, and preferably are constructed of somerustproof material, not affected by water, although it may be equally well constructed of masonry or any other desired material.

f Suitably mounted in the fort in position y, to be handled bythe necessary operators are anydesired number ofmortars 3, being so:` arranged,'constructed and mountedfon the f FORT. y

Specification of Letters Patent.r i, Patented Apr, 23 1918, implication aiedoctober 23, i916. serial No. 127,136.

elevating base l' as to be capable ofbeing lraised, `and lowered through openings 5,

labove `and below-the surface of the water j covering the fort whenit 1s desired to operate or discharge said' mortars.

which areso arranged and located as to re-p. y

V'veal to theoccupantsof the' :tort the position` of the enemy` or points upon which attack.`

is to be made. p l g Leading from the fort proper-are a series of tunnelsl or passages 8` which `extend beneath the water and through the land sur?" rounding said water whereby all necessary supplies may be taken l1n and out ofh the fort anda means provided for ingress "and egress of theoccupaiitsof the `fort, without in any way exposing such occupants or sup plies to the enemy or' outside parties.

`The normal position of the `Inortars Slis such that the muzzle 9 thereof is Vabove the surface of the water and is the only part of the armament exposed tol view, Ilnle these mortars are `normally in this position same may be raised` or lowered at the will of the operators;

It may be desirable in a fort of this charitis to be understood that if desired the l acter to have large guns or rifles arranged at such `an elevation as-to be above the sur face otthe` water, and in such cases I provide arevolving casing `10` which may or may not be submergedas desired, but in the instance shown extends upwardly from the roof or top of one of the tunnels and is provided with a covering of armor plate 11,

i which extends below the surface of the water any desireddepth lfor protecting the e structure of the casing, and through which ators or vital parts of` the gun are protected i by the armor plate 11. This casing 10 might equally as well be projected upwardly from the main roof l of the fort.

As stated the entire housing formingthe fort or fortification not only is covered and .is projected the muzzle or barrel of the gun Y ico o surrounded by.. abody` ofwateras 12` but i `surrounding said body o'water 121is abody of land as 13.

while 1 have ,described {11e-fort or farne-v -aganet auch underwater attack.- Y

jthefforwt concealed; the'vvater surrounding ,Tandy c'oveingrthe 4fold'J :may be removed' 'and' en; Letters Patent.; of-'theUnitedf States( is: f .g

" 4 1- Alff-fith, @heredar defbredJCOm-'L o Ifd Sired one" orjmoretorpedo tubes as y 14 V:may be {providedgead tubes Vezxuending though the] suroundng lbodyf '0iV land 13 and Ythe" oute fendre" off-the tubes being pro-Y 5 vided with fthe ne'es'saryV and usualAV ytorpedov .any suzable means ,fmay :be provided, snobV asrjsluce gateso the like lwherebythefvvacer: L

' Y inay-beadmtted'or `removed as desedg' Having'thue full-y described my'inventionV the armamentJV thereoi,VVA v armament suitably lnoulffced;ftheren,` n.- Iombinat'bnfwtb a body offvrvatei" en rclng and'ooveing saidV bousrn j and afbody of'landYenoirolfngV said *bodylo Water, and means for preventing the: f I -ientranceiof Water ntosad housing d'u'r'ng fthe. operation of lsaid armament, substan- Qtiallyasandfotliepurposesetforth.

offwater, means for 4preventlig rthe entr-ance WaterV and passages' o1; tuflnle leading? roin' 'Saidifere no a l1oaeef0fsupplies/and the like: 7 y

{3Q-A for-t olfhefoharac'tef describedY Com- 

